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Europe's referees have been urged to protect players and football's image as they set out on their assignments in the coming season, and not to be afraid to take decisions that are unpopular. Protecting players and protecting the image of the game will continue to be a particular priority for Europe’s referees as they embark on their important assignments in the 2014/15 campaign. UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying matches are on the agenda for the men’s referees this season, while leading women referees are gearing up for action in the UEFA Women's Champions League, as well as the FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada in 2015. A total of 91 men's elite and first category referees, and 15elite and first category women's referees, have travelled to Nyon for the UEFA pre-season course, to prepare for the new campaign, check their fitness, review events from the past season and receive instructions and recommendations for the new season from the UEFA Referees Committee.

The pre-season referees' course has been moved to mid-August from the start of September. "We think that it is important to meet the referees before the club competition play-offs," said UEFA chief refereeing officer, Pierluigi Collina, "because this is definitely one of the most important moments in the whole UEFA competition season." Referees were reminded that the protection of players and the game's image were crucial. Proper sanctions should be taken against players whose actions might affect opponents' safety, such as in committing serious foul play or making a reckless challenge. In addition, the referees were urged to punish players who committed offences affecting the game's image, for example by denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. "You must act in incidents where there is unsporting behaviour, if there is simulation by a player, or if there are acts of provocation," said Collina. "You must not accept a situation where you are mobbed by players, or if there is blatant dissent. In addition to protecting players and the game, you must protect yourselves."

A reminder was issued to the referees that they should not be afraid to take unpopular decisions. "We are not interested in referees being liked," Collina told the match officials. "We want to have referees taking correct decisions when needed, even if a red card needs to be given in the fifth minute of a match.” The referees were also asked to ensure that coaches, as well as all other occupants in the technical area, behave in a responsible manner."

Issues regarding the offside law were also explained, in particular the latest clarification to the law which determines that a player who makes a clear action which affects the possibility for an opponent to play the ball must be considered as challenging the opponent for the ball.

The referees were also appraised about the use of vanishing spray, which is now being implemented from this season in the major UEFA competitions. The spray is used by the referee to mark the spot a free-kick is taken and the minimum required distance for the defensive wall.

With modern-day referees needing to be supremely fit to cope with the pace of the game, fitness tests were on the agenda in Nyon, with all the referees undergoing a fitness test that included six 40-metre sprints to measure their sprint resistance, and the intermittent recovery 'yo-yo' test to look at their endurance powers.

The review of the 2013/14 campaign was widely assessed as being very positive for UEFA referees, and proposals for improvement in areas such as teamwork in particular in offside situations, were identified to ensure that the quality of refereeing in Europe continued to reach the highest possible standards. "I have been told by senior coaching figures that the quality of refereeing last season was very good – this is something for which you are worthy of praise," Collina reflected. The referees were also encouraged to prepare thoroughly for matches by studying teams’ potential tactical formations and playing styles, and to always conduct themselves in the proper manner on their assignments as representatives of UEFA and their national associations.

Cuneyt Çakır and his assistants were the only representatives of Turkish football at this summer's World Cup in Brazil. He not only officiated the Brazil-Mexico and Algeria-Russia group matches, but he was also tasked with a semi-final encounter between Argentina and the Netherlands. In the topflight tournament, which the Turkish national football team missed as a result of their poor performance in the qualifiers, Çakır became one of the reasons for the football-crazed nation to follow the event. Çakır became the first Turkish referee to undertake duties for a World Cup tournament in 40 years. Bahattin Duran and Tarık Ongun were also in Brazil to assist Çakır at the matches.

“All were in their places. Fifteen seconds before the match started, the delegate of the match raised his hand. Another sign followed with 10 seconds left. When he indicated the final 10 seconds, all I could think was, ‘God help us. All of Turkey is behind us. Reward us for our hard work,'” Çakır told Gençlik Spor magazine of Turkey's Youth and Sports Ministry, referring to his thoughts leading into the semi-final match. After the match, the first thing he did was call his family. During the match, the Turkish official did an excellent work and received high praise. The successful referee received unforgettable messages from thousands of people and experienced “incredible feelings” during the 45 days of World Cup. He was also thrilled to see Turkish flags in the stands of the stadiums where he officiated games. All these things made Çakır feel a great sense of responsibility toward his country, but he was able to put the feelings aside after he blew the whistle to start the games. The 37-year-old never expected he would be the one to officiate the final. “It would be wrong to have expected to referee [the final match]. We always wanted to give our best in the next match. Our goal was to have a good first [World Cup] match and get a second match. After that, we knew the rest would come,” he said, and added, “It will be a good reference for the European Football Championship and the Champions League events to come.” Now Çakır hopes to continue working at high-level football tournaments and be the top official in the finals of these events. The next biggest competition is the Euro 2016. Çakır has his eyes on taking part in the championship match.Çakır's achievements do not come as a surprise. He has been in the world of football since the age of 10. He started out as a football player for the youth teams of Kartalspor. He was injured at 17 and had to give up playing. Çakır was also lucky, though. His father, Serdar Çakır, who is a former football referee and former vice chairman of Turkey's Central Referee Board (MHK), was a major motivator for him. Çakır's father made him love football and refereeing. “I grew up as a kid who loved football and was in love with refereeing. Ever since I could remember I've been living with football. Football is a love, a passion for me,” Çakır said. He noted that he had a chance to meet personalities from the Turkish football world. “Before I was a referee, I met many special people thanks to my father. My mother was also influential in my decision (to become a referee). When I was hesitating about whether to play football or to focus on refereeing, my mom said: ‘You should definitely be a referee. I can see you at the World Cup.'” The high-achieving referee is also confident that he would have made a good player if he had pursued it. “I won't be humble about it. I can comfortably say this because of the matches we now play with the former footballers. They know this very well too,” Çakır, who plays as a forward, said. Football, though his greatest passion, is not Çakır's only love. He loves basketball and table tennis and is a die-hard fan of the NBA.

Rising fame has not put Çakır under too much pressure, because he finds the game entertaining. “At the end of the day, it is a sport, and everybody should see it that way. If you feel pressure, it affects your success. Once you prepare thoroughly for the matches, you have enough confidence and don't feel pressure.” Comparing the reactions he gets in domestic and international matches, the referee said Turks supported him regardless of his little mistakes and wanted him to succeed at the international level. At the same time, they take sides in domestic games. “Then they see any of our actions as wrongdoing. This makes all the difference… Football is a game of mistakes. It is not a solution to feel upset about the mistakes. What matters is to learn and avoid repeating the same mistake.” But for him, the names of the teams do not make any difference when it comes to taking it seriously and making preparations for them. “We always say we want respect as referees. If you want respect, then you should first be respectful. Every match you take might be someone's most important one.”

Çakır has worked hard to attain what he has. He speaks English and now plans to learn French and Russian for the tournaments. “The next European Football Championship is in France, and the next World Cup is in Russia. I have already started working on [those languages],” he said. He noted that he is still learning a lot and always plans to move forward. “You can do this job until the age of 45. If God gives me health and no injuries, I'll try to learn more, as long as I can do this job. For example, at the most recent World Cup, the world's best referees were there, but no one called himself the best. Everybody was trying to learn something from one another,” he said. The 37-year-old watches about 15 matches every week to stay mentally fit and exercises to stay physically fit. The workouts were determined by FIFA over the past two years in preparation for the World Cup. From this season on, he will follow a UEFA program of exercise for the upcoming Euro 2016.

Even after his retirement, Çakır does not plan to leave football. Although he does not want to think about his retirement, he would like to be a trainer for future referees and pass his knowledge on them. “At the moment, all I'm concentrated on is refereeing. I have seven seasons ahead,” he said. Çakır recommends younger referees to work hard: Be physically fit and follow all the developments in the field. “I think the most important thing is to watch matches, not only the players but the referee as well.” To make a living, Çakır owns an insurance agency. But football comes first for him. “I am a graduate of management from Kocaeli University. I have had an insurance agency for 12 years. I don't have much chance to go to the office but I respect and love my profession. With what time is left after refereeing, I am definitely there. I have a partner and he takes care of everything,” Çakır said of his other job.

Carol Anne Chenard (CAN) is the first woman referee appointed for her second final in the same FIFA competition, after she already refereed the U-20 Women’s World Cup final in 2010, with exactly the same teams: Germany and Nigeria. This is also the first time when four match officials from the same country are appointed for a FIFA final. On the men’s side, John Lewis (GBR) refereed two Olympic Games finals (1908 and 1920), while Benito Archundia (2005 and 2009) and Ravshan Irmatov (2008 and 2011) refereed two FIFA Club World Cup finals. 24 August 2014

After being selected by FIFA to stay out in Brazil until the very end of the tournament along with English referee Howard Webb and his fellow assistant Michael Mullarkey, Darren Cann has now returned to his home in Norfolk and has been speaking to us about the experience of his last World Cup.

- NorfolkFA.com: So, having just touched back down in the UK, what are your abiding memories about Brazil 2014?

- DC: The experience was absolutely fabulous and we were so blessed to be part of a World Cup in Brazil. England is the home of football, but I guess that Brazil is probably the next best thing – a country which has a great passion for the beautiful game. It was incredible to referee Brazil at their home World Cup, and my abiding memory is of walking out onto the pitch on the day of their last 16 match against Chile. Brazil is a fantastic country. We were really well looked after and the people were so friendly. It really was a dream come true to play a small part in the World Cup in Brazil, the first they have hosted since 1950.

- NorfolkFA.com: You had to wait some time, until game 21, before getting your first taste of the competition. Was that easy to manage?

- DC: Like any refereeing trio we hoped to be used early in the competition, but it wasn’t to be. Whilst it was a little bit frustrating, we are professional so we trained really hard every day, applying ourselves day in, day out, so that we were ready when needed. We didn’t get bored at all – FIFA provide lots for us to do and the table tennis table, gym and table football got plenty of use! We are all massive football fans and keenly watched all of the World Cup matches too, so the days flew by. We eventually got the call to referee the potentially difficult match of Colombia vs Ivory Coast, which actually went very well.

- NorfolkFA.com: You mentioned the Brazil vs Chile game earlier. One of the features on the tournament was the South American teams continuing to sing after the music had finished for their anthems – what was that like?!

- DC: It was probably the most passionate football stadium atmosphere I’ve ever been in. We walked out and the fans of both countries made noise like I’ve never heard. It was even more deafening than the World Cup Final in 2010, an incredible atmosphere. Like you say the fans and players continued to sing their Nation Anthems long after the music had stopped, making each anthem last a couple of minutes each! It’s something we’ll never experience again and it tells you everything about the passion of the supporters and how determined they were to cheer their team to victory. It proved to be one of the best, and most competitive, games of the tournament too, going to extra time and penalties.

- NorfolkFA.com: Yes, and it must have been pleasing to once again get all the big decisions right. There was a call for a handball against Brazil’s Hulk, but one that was proved to be correct by replays and pundit opinions alike…

- DC: Howard deserves great credit for that. It was his call to give the handball against Hulk and to disallow that goal and, like you say, replays showed that he was correct. It was a difficult call at the time because he was perhaps a few metres further away than he would have liked, but he used all of his experience and just had the viewing angle to allow him to give the handball. Of course, it’s going to be an unpopular decision against the host nation, but a referee’s job is to be fair and impartial at all times and we always are. As it happened Brazil went through anyway (on penalties) so it didn’t actually materially affect the outcome, but it’s important to make the right call and Howard certainly did that using all his skill and experience. It was a really pressurised situation. We felt more pressure in that game than probably any other game in our career. The match was built up by the Brazilian press, as Chile had played very well in the tournament up until then. It certainly needed refereeing and it was of the most intense games we’ve ever officiated.

- NorfolkFA.com: You were kept on until the very end of the tournament, so you might have been hoping to get a third appointment. Were you disappointed not to?

- DC: FIFA were delighted with the way we refereed the Brazil vs Chile game and at the time we certainly didn’t think it would be our last game in the World Cup, but unfortunately it turned out that way. We just carried on training each day and, when the quarter-finals were announced and we didn’t get a game, we hoped for a semi-final. However when we saw the four teams in the semis it looked unlikely that we’d get another game. Brazil were in one semi-final and we’d only just refereed them the week before, so that pretty much ruled us out of that one, and it always looked unlikely that we would get Holland vs Argentina. Also as we’d already refereed the World Cup Final in South Africa (and therefore couldn’t referee The Final again) we knew that it would be the end of our tournament. Of course we’d have liked to have refereed a semi-final, but it wasn’t to be. We’re really lucky to have been at two World Cups though and to have refereed matches that have gone so well. To referee Brazil in Brazil in our last ever World Cup game was special. The three of us are all too old for Russia in 2018 so this is the end of our World Cup careers. We got 22 handshakes after the Brazil vs Chile game and both managers were very happy with how the game was officiated as well. Looking back, it really was a perfect way to end our World Cup careers and we have some really great memories from 2010 and 2014. As it turned out, by staying until the end of the tournament we were also able to have dinner with the Italian trio after their appointment to the Final just 48 hours before kick-off. That was a really special and unique moment – the first time ever that a World Cup trio had been present to be able to pass on all of their experiences of what it’s actually like to walk out and officiate the World Cup Final.

Howard Webb and Dermot Gallagher will use a studio in the BBC centre in Salford as their base for monitoring every Premier League game. This new location will position them at the heart of where Match of the Day will be recorded every weekend. Although match officials are still gagged by the Premier League, the pair will provide explanation to the BBC, Sky and BT Sport as to why referees make decisions during a game. As part of his new role as the Professional Game Match Officials technical director Webb will work alongside former referee Gallagher to watch every single top-flight match to review particularly contentious decisions.

Referee chief Mike Riley explained: ‘Howard knows refereeing inside out, can put himself in the mind of the referee that day and can explain what goes on. ‘We don’t want that for every decision but when it is important to get the message across, we will. This season we have a dedicated centre at the BBC on each match-day, so Dermot and Howard will be sat in a studio in Salford, watching the games.’ Their role is not specifically to provide reaction to every single incident of controversy, but on Monday the idea was not ruled out that Webb and Gallagher could appear on screen to give a voice to referees. It is also another step on the long road to the possibility of video replays assisting referees in games. The PGMOL are watching trials of video technology in Holland closely, but are still far from considering it in England. Webb said: ‘We are aware of the development in Holland. We are keeping an open mind to anything really. If we’re not careful it will end up opening more questions than answers. We really need to make sure not to change the basis of the way the game is played. The high intensity and fast flowing that makes it such a good spectacle that people enjoy to watch. We will see which way that goes’.

"I never dreamed I would be a part of this… This is huge", said English referee Mark Clattenburg when the 39-year-old spoke to UEFA.com ahead of the UEFA Super Cup in Cardiff between Real Madrid CF and Sevilla FC.

UEFA.com: Are you excited to be here in Cardiff?

Mark Clattenburg: Very much so. It doesn't feel too different – we have the same stormy weather back home at the minute! But it's fantastic to have the Super Cup in Cardiff and be a part of such a wonderful event. This is a real bonus for me.

UEFA.com: Have you been brushing up on your Spanish?

Clattenburg: A few words! For an English referee, it is a wonderful experience to take charge of an all-Spanish game. I want to give the best performance with my team.

UEFA.com: Can you elaborate on the homework you have done?

Clattenburg: Teams change every year with different managers and players, and it is tricky at the start of a season. But they play pre-season games and as referees we look at their tactics and pace of their play – any little details that can help us during the 90 minutes. If I do my research, it will make my job easier on the pitch.

UEFA.com: Are there any differences between games like this and matches in the Premier League?

Clattenburg: The differences are not as clear as they used to be, as the English league has become slower and more technical. In international football they keep the ball a lot longer, but it is still the same game, and the same 90 minutes.

UEFA.com: How do you prepare for such a big match so early in the season?

Clattenburg: We are prepared mentally and physically, even though it is the first big game of the season for us. I have put in a lot of physical training and also worked on the mental side of things. We use sports psychologists to make sure we are mentally prepared for the big kick-off.

UEFA.com: Your pre-season sounds as intensive as the ones the players dread…

Clattenburg: It is all about timing during the off-season. At the end of a campaign you are mentally and physically fatigued and it is important to be able to rest. We have help from within UEFA, getting advice on when to train, although personally I don't really stop. I like to keep going, and just steadily build up the intensity. I increased it about four weeks ago so I knew, when this appointment was made two weeks ago, that I was ready to go if called upon. I wouldn't have to react to the appointment; I was being proactive. It's important I keep my body tuned.

UEFA.com: What's your schedule like before kick-off?

Clattenburg: European games are different to the Premier League as you have to travel up the day before the game. So I make sure that I eat right the night before and try to sleep well. My team will attend a pre-match meeting on the morning of a game, preparing with the two clubs, and we will have our own meetings within the team, working out how we're going to do things, analysing things we have done well in previous games, and trying to address any problems we might have had last season.

UEFA.com: Last term you officiated a UEFA Europa League semi-final and UEFA Champions League quarter-final: Do you still get nervous?

Clattenburg: I don't think you'd call it nerves, but it is a strange feeling. Anticipation. You're so much looking forward to getting out on that pitch in front of millions of viewers in such a wonderful event. To be a part of this is just amazing – when I started off as a referee at 16 years old I never dreamed I would be a part of this competition. This is huge: a wonderful occasion.

UEFA.com: What targets are on your personal horizons now?

Clattenburg: I set myself goals every year to simply improve on my form last season. I believe that last year went well for me, but I still have to work on the negatives. If I can do that the rewards will come.